Full Moon on March 27, 2013
On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the Moon reaches her fullness at 6 degrees of Libra at 2:28 A.M. in the Pacific time zone. This Full Moon called the Full Worm Moon occurs at the start of spring when the ground begins to warm up, and when the spring rains soften the earth. Earthworms begin to appear. In Southern California, you would see them on the sidewalks after a spring rain. In the Northern latitudes, the robins have begun to arrive to nest for the spring and summer, and the earth worms, or Night Crawlers, are coming to the surface. I recall my grandfather and father going out in search of Night Crawlers to use for bait for fishing season.
Northern tribes call this moon, the Full Crow Moon as the crow’s cawing signals the end of winter. It is also called the Full Crust Moon because melting snow still freezes at night creating a crust on the ground. Last night here on the river, we had a squall pass over, followed by a brief but intense hail storm. Some call this the Full Sap Moon because it’s time when Maple trees can be tapped for their sap. And early settlers called this the Lenten Moon as it signaled the Lent would be ending and Easter would be celebrated at the next Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (March 21).
Other names for this Full Moon include: Moon of the Winds, Moon of the Snow Blind, Magpie Moon, Sugar/Sugaring Moon, Seed Moon, Basanta Purnima (Hindu name for Spring), Medin Poya (Buddhist name for spring), and the Chaste Moon. Whatever you call this Moon, it is a powerful one, and the first full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, signaling a number of religious dates of significance. For Western Christian traditions, this moon signals the coming of Easter on the next Sunday following this moon. For an explanation of how Eastern and Western Christians determine when Easter falls, visit Fact Monster.
The Full Moon in Libra peaks at 9:28 A.M. (GMT)/2:28 PDT. The Full Moon is always a time when the Sun and the Moon are in exact opposition, calling us to unite and harmonize both inside and out. The gravitational pull of the Sun on one side of the planet and the Moon on the other, exerts a great deal of pressure; pressure we can observe with the rising and falling tides, and pressure we can observe within ourselves and the lives of others around us. We notice that our sleep is affected, our behavior and moods are affected, and this also changes the way we behave, especially when we are not very observant or reflective about our thoughts, words, and actions. Being mindful helps us handle the excessive stress or energy we might be feeling.
Coming to wholeness is called for, though it may feel like we’re simply confused if we have not been paying attention to the polarities at work within our lives and our selves. The polarity that exists between the Libra Full Moon and the Sun in Aries is that of relationships--the pull between our relationship with ourselves and our relationships with others, especially the significant ones. Any imbalances in this area of our lives and in the particular houses of our chart where the Aries/Libra axis rules, will become more apparent at this time than most other times. With four heavenly bodies in opposition to the Moon in Libra, we will feel more deeply and be more emotionally affected by this Full Moon. We will perhaps feel pulled to make major changes now if our needs are not being met or if we are out of balance in the way we care for others and ourselves.
Libra normally calls us to ‘make peace’ and to see all sides of a situation. What is crucial to understand is that we must also stand in our own truth and not just meet the needs of others at our own expense. And the contrary holds true as well. If we are too self-absorbed, and not paying attention to what those around us need, we are in danger of suffering some difficult times and may lose what we have said we treasure because we are not willing or able to act according to our true intentions. We can only go for so long on the promises or intentions; at some point we need to see that actions are speaking out the true intentions and desires.
The Sun is aligned with Venus, Uranus, and Mars in Aries, with each planet receiving an opposition to the Moon and squaring Pluto (the planet of transformative change). What has needed to change, will now fall apart or reach a point where it will be easier to release and let go of what needs to go. This is a highly emotional Full Moon, and finding ways to acknowledge our authentic feelings, and then expressing those feelings in positive, constructive, and meaningful ways will do much to alleviate some of the pressure. Jupiter’s sextile to the Aries’ planets and the Sun help us find the gifts in some of the emotional garbage that seems to ooze up from some dark places where it’s been suppressed or unhealed. The Moon triggers something of an emotional temper tantrum---one long overdue in some cases.
Saturn in 10 Scorpio and the North Node 17 degrees Scorpio, signal a deep transmission of unconscious energy and deep-seated issues that have risen to the surface to be dealt with. The movement of Saturn into Scorpio last Fall, opened us to a great deal of soul-searching, and even release of energy, memories, and psychic movement that is rising to the surface to become more conscious and to infuse us with a deeper awareness and understanding of our nature and the issues that need attention in order for us to heal, grow, and develop in areas that are needed for our own health and happiness and for the health, happiness, and well-being of those we are in relationship with.
Pluto, the Great Transformer is at 11 degrees of Capricorn and continues to uproot and discharge whatever needs to be broken up so that we can make transitions that are needed in our lives at this time. Jupiter is at 11 degrees of Gemini, and forms a sextile to the planets in Aries, lightening the harshness of the opposition and square that are happening.
Neptune in 4 degrees of Pisces and Chiron at 9 degrees of Pisces continue to awaken our deepest unconscious desires, intutitive knowledge, and unhealed or hidden wounds so that Chiron, the Wounded Healer, can address the areas of our lives that need to be addressed, healed, and tended to.
As the Moon opposes Uranus, a tug of war takes place between the glamourous and free-spirited lover within us and the caring, self-sacrificing mother or caretaker in us that has had it with that role. Like I said, the undeveloped parts of ourselves and the parts of ourselves that we have been ignoring in hopes of taking care of everyone else in our lives, now rebels and stomps around like an angry teenager. Venus conjunct Uranus also triggers this same type of reaction, particularly if we have neglected ourselves for the sake of relationships, roles, or outmoded habits and patterns of behavior.
When the Sun conjuncts Venus and, Uranus there is a tendency for us to sugar coat the harsh realities. Any self sacrificing that we may have indulged in, may now trigger a greater awareness of how we have neglected our own value, happiness, and health. The Sun, Moon, Venus, and Mars in Aries, a fire sign at the peak of this Full Moon in Libra, and are beginning to form a sextile to Jupiter in Gemini. This is actually a good time for those of us with planets in fire and air signs. The yod that formed in late December is now growing stronger through April 10. Formed by Jupiter in Gemini and Pluto and Saturn (Capricorn and Scorpio), it is a powerful time for seeing the results of transformative energy at work in decisions and actions now taking place.
There are a number of hard aspects the Full Moon makes including four squares to Pluto and four quinqunxes to Saturn. This Full Moon is triggering a great deal of activity, and coming on the end of Mercury’s retrograde phase (Mercury stations direct on March 17) and the Vernal Equinox (Sun enters Aries and Spring and the Lunar New Year begins), this could be a very active and jarring time.
The influence of the Full Moon affects our psychological being a great deal. In the past this moon was called the Full Pink Moon (which you would understand if you were looking at these late winter sunsets), as they signaled the beginning of spring. The first blossoms to sprout this week have been pink-- tiny pink wild flowers are appearing in the grass, and the buds on the plum tree boughs are beginning to sprout into pink. This Full Moon, could be called the Lover’s Moon for spring is the time when love and romance begin to go wild. Spring Fever and Spring Break coincide with the wild abandonment of highly energized feelings and emotions. If nothing else, we become highly aware of our needs and the needs of others, and we gain a great deal of clarity as we feel things more deeply and our minds are highly energized and focused as well. It’s time we begin to shed our heavy clothing and head outdoors to run, walk, hike, swim, and move about after the long winter. And this year’s Full Moon in Libra finds many of us longing for love in all areas of our life.
Libra is the goddess of love and harmonious relationships, and this is what we each crave at this full moon. Our need to connect emotionally, spiritually, sexually, and sensually is heightened when the Moon is in Libra.We strive to make our homes, ourselves and our lives more beautiful. The Libra Full Moon may find us longing to celebrate, entertain, and create more harmony between friends, family, and all areas of our lives. The desire for closeness and intimacy is strong, and Libra lends its finesse in expressing this passion in gentile, kind, and appealing ways. The phrase, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar” comes to mind. That is the Libra way of soothing and calming troubled waters.
With the desire for beauty and harmony, the Libra Full Moon fuels our creative and artistic expression. We will be seeking more and more in the next week or so leading up to this Full Moon to clear away any clutter and discomfort from our lives, to beautify and harmonize our lives, and to seek ways to become more balanced physically, emotionally, mentally, and psychologically as the energy builds. Rather than getting caught up in the chaos and disruptive energy being set off by the planets moving into fire signs and becoming fanned by the winds of the air sign planets, use your mindfulness practices to seek to be present in whatever is happening where you are. Release yourself from the bondage of worry, fear, fretting, and anxiety. While you may feel these emotions especially around issues, events, or obstacles in your life, you do have the power to turn your attention into more productive and practical channels. Channel your energy into physical activity or make even simple or tedious tasks a practice in being present and mindful. Treat even the most simple task as a sacred act, for after all, it is.
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| Reflections Catherine Al-Meten |
The Full Moon cycle represents the fulfillment of change already set into motion. As much as we plan and envision how our plans might work out, we have to understand that we are only part of the equation in anything that takes place in our lives. From my experience, I cannot tell how the future will unfold even though I may have a strong idea or premonition of where events are headed. At some point, and I would say, the sooner or later, we need to surrender our own ego and will to the Divine’s movement in our lives and the lives of others. We need to cast our nets into the sea (setting our intentions), and then wait to see what we pull in (what the results, consequences, and blessings) will be. This Full Moon in Libra and the strong opposiitonal activity to the Sun, Venus, Mars, and Uranus create a powerful energetic system for us to use to become more aware of where we need to release and where we are receiving information, gifts, and resources that may come in a form we don't usually see get to experience. What may appear as loss, chaos, or unexpected news or changes, clear the path before us. Discovering what a relief it might be to finally have answers, be rid of a difficult and challenging situation, or learn or admist the truth of some difficult situation, may be the gifts of this Full Moon and the Stellia of planets and the Sun in Aries. What is going on now, like the Stellia in Pisces last month, set the stage for actions, relationships, and growth in our lives for many years to come. Time to be clear about our intentions, honest about our true desires, and willing to let go of anything that blocks our highest good, excellent health, and true fulfillment.
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